Starkiller Base - TBS [P3] - Centerpiece Figures (Exclusive)

As the ice-covered tundra of Starkiller Base crumbles, Rey channels the raw power of the Force to defeat the dark warrior, Kylo Ren. Experienced with her salvaged quarterstaff from Jakku, Rey finds that years of practice at hand-to-hand fighting serves her well when she is forced to use a Lightsaber in combat.

When her blue-bladed Lightsaber - one passed through generations of Force users - clashes with Kylo Ren's unconventional fiery blade, Rey recalls the words of Maz Kanata: "Close your eyes... Feel it. The Light. It has always been there. It will guide you."

Though Rey has yet to receive full training, her connection to the Force is as undeniable as she is resilient. While the young scavenger once dismissed herself as "no one," Rey soon realizes that her life is being shaped by the mysterious power of the Force.

Well, Hasbro gets an “A” for effort with The Black Series [Phase III] Starkiller Base Centerpiece set. Aesthetically, it’s about as close to perfection of anything we’ve seen from Hasbro from the past. That isn’t an exaggeration. But whether or not the collecting community wants another Rey and Kylo Ren in their collections is a completely different thing to consider, especially when one of them is a static piece of plastic. The Black Series [Phase III] 6” Centerpiece line brings back the spirit of the Star Wars Unleashed line back forcefully, and for many collectors that’s a welcomed thing. The issue is that the prices they command are so out of touch with the collecting community that the line died before it even began. For the general release marketplace, $50 statuesque figure with a nice base doesn’t fly with collectors. And despite how gorgeous they look, most waited until clearance prices hit before they picked them up. We doubt Hasbro could do this with the bean counters they must work within, but the Centerpiece figures should never have exceeded $25 each. That would be a $10 increase from the Star Wars Unleashed line, and that’s about as much of a markup collectors could likely swallow. Get rid of the light-up features and get back to basics is our suggestion. Because we truly love these sets.

With distribution at its absolute worst, the Rey figure becomes “the chicken or the egg” adage. Is the general release Centerpiece release of her a repack of the Starkiller Base figure, or is it the other way around. Regardless, in some places both hit around the same time, so we’ll go with the Rey figure in the Starkiller Base set is a slight repaint of the figure from 2018’s TBS [P3] Rey (Jakku) Centerpiece figure. She comes with a removable lightsaber blade and looks fantastic on top of a snow-covered inclined as she takes on Kylo Ren. The detail added to the base that surrounds her is an unprecedented accomplishment. Hasbro should be proud of what they did here. We are. Hasbro also added a slit into the terrain where Starkiller Base began cracking in the film, and you can see the “hot lava” underneath. It’s a very well done base. There is a nice area for Kylo Ren to battle her or to be thrown to the ground. We’re very impressed with what they accomplished here. But we also understand that if you’re not into The Force Awakens how this is a complete waste for you too. Hasbro also included a base background which includes a mister and an LED lighted backdrop which may be the most beautiful thing we’ve seen them produce to date. It’s evident that Hasbro went out of their way to produce a beautiful collector’s items here.

Yes, we get another Kylo Ren 6” figure here. And that may be the death of this set in all honesty. However, if you’re a fan of him, then you have the opportunity to get a unique version of him which includes a great deal of newness and a likeness that supersedes all past versions. Kylo Ren is based on 2016’s TBS [P3] Kylo Ren (Unmasked) (26) figure. This time the figure has quite a few new parts including an all-new head sculpt, new torso and new right arm. From what we can tell, the rest of the figure is the same as the previous release. His soft-goods have been put through the mill and have tatters, tears, and rips and added white paint to mimic the snow of Starkiller Base. The figure is super-articulated as you know and can achieve a nice amount of poses thanks to the quality joints Hasbro gave him. It does feel odd that Kylo Ren is so mobile, yet Rey is so static. But that’s the nature of the Centerpiece line. The static figures serve as the “centerpiece” of the display you create by adding the super-articulated figures to it. So now let’s talk about the price. It’s egregious. Collectors will have to shell out $109.99 for something that, in our opinion, should cost closer to $59.99. At most, $74.99 for convention tax is more palatable. Either way, no one can deny how beautiful this looks, but most will have to skip it because of the price.